CHICAGO — A federal grand jury in Chicago has indicted a high-ranking member of the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico on a drug conspiracy charge for allegedly manufacturing and distributing fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, and other drugs and importing them into the United States.
According to an indictment returned Monday in the Northern District of Illinois, CEFERINO ESPINOZA ANGULO, 43, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Mexico, employed dozens of gunmen in Mexico to protect and support the leadership of the Guzman faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, including Ivan Guzman-Salazar, Jesus Alfredo Guzman-Salazar, Ovidio Guzman-Lopez, and Joaquin Guzman-Lopez, collectively known as “the Chapitos.” The indictment alleges that Espinoza Angulo worked with others to obtain fentanyl precursor chemicals and to manufacture fentanyl for importation into the United States. Espinoza Angulo allegedly worked with others to transport the fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and ecstasy toward the U.S. border for importation into the country. The indictment accuses Espinoza Angulo of illegally using a machine gun in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime.
The Chapitos are the sons of Joaquin Guzman Loera, also known as "El Chapo," who led the Sinaloa Cartel before being convicted by a federal jury in Brooklyn, N.Y., and sentenced to life in prison. The Chapitos allegedly assumed their father’s role as leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel. The Chapitos have been charged with drug trafficking in other U.S. indictments.
The indictment against Espinoza Angulo charges him with drug conspiracy and a firearm offense, which are punishable by a maximum sentence of life in federal prison and a minimum of 30 years. Espinoza Angulo is believed to be residing in Mexico. A U.S. warrant has been issued for his arrest.
The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Antoinette T. Bacon, Supervisory Official of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Tara K. McGrath, United States Attorney for the Southern District of California, and Chad Yarbrough, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations Field Offices in Arizona and Spokane, Wash.; DEA Special Operations Division, Bilateral Investigations Unit; FBI Field Offices in Washington, San Diego, and Los Angeles; and the Portland, Ore. Police Bureau, Narcotics and Organized Crime Unit, HIDTA Interdiction Taskforce. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle J. Parthum and Andrew C. Erskine of the Northern District of Illinois, Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Sutton of the Southern District of California, and Trial Attorney Kirk Handrich of the Criminal Division’s Narcotics and Dangerous Drug Section at the Justice Department.
The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug trafficking organizations and other criminal networks that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local enforcement agencies.
“Our nation’s fentanyl crisis has devastated individuals and families in northern Illinois and throughout the country,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Pasqual. “Our office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to disrupt the production and trafficking of fentanyl and other dangerous narcotics before they can reach more victims.”
“As alleged, the defendant conspired to traffic dangerous drugs, including fentanyl, into the United States — and employed dozens of gunmen to protect his drug trafficking operation and the leadership of the Guzman faction of the Sinaloa Cartel,” said Supervisory Official Bacon. “Stopping Mexican cartels from poisoning our communities with fentanyl and other narcotics is a top priority of this Administration. Today’s indictment demonstrates that the Criminal Division is relentless in its pursuit of the drug traffickers who profit at the expense of the American people.”
“From San Diego to Chicago to D.C., we are united to bring down the traffickers pushing these poisons into American communities,” said U.S. Attorney McGrath. “We are attacking at every level — from street dealers to cartel leaders.”
“This indictment reinforces the FBI’s unwavering commitment to hold accountable those who endanger our communities and traffic violence and drugs across our borders,” said Assistant Director Yarbrough. “Let this serve as a clear message: if you engage in cartel activity, we will pursue you and bring you to justice. Together with our law enforcement partners at every level, we remain fully committed to protecting the American people and stopping the flow of these dangerous drugs into our nation.”
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
